Gov. Lamont shocks Cub Scout tour at Capitol

Gov. Ned Lamont shocked a cub scout tour by showing up unexpectedly in the historic Hall of the House at the state Capitol. (Christopher Keating)

It was just another day and just another tour at the state Capitol until the unexpected happened Tuesday.

Gov. Ned Lamont shocked a group of Cub Scouts by suddenly showing up during their tour in the historic Hall of the House.

Advertisement

On the day before he releases his budget, Lamont had been attending a meeting on the fourth floor of the Capitol. He came downstairs with two top aides and two state troopers at the same time as Farmington Cub Scouts were heading into the cavernous House chamber, just steps away from Lamont’s office.

When Lamont walked inside, the parents and two state legislators immediately recognized him, but some of the young cub scouts — ranging in age from kindergarten to fifth grade — did not. So Lamont was introduced, and the questions began.

Rather than asking about the complicated details of the underfunded teachers pension fund, a young Cub Scout asked Lamont if he likes hockey.

"I love hockey,'' Lamont responded. "I used to play hockey. I was pretty good. ... All right, that’s all I know about hockey.''

The next question was: Who is the lieutenant governor?

“The lieutenant governor is named Susan Bysiewicz," Lamont responded, now standing on the House Speaker’s dais. “Susan has been in state government for many, many years. I’m sort of a newcomer, she’s been here for a while. So it’s Miss Insider and Mister Outsider. We’re a pretty good team.”

The scouts, from Troops 168 and 170, traveled to the Capitol because they had the day off from school during the February recess. Farmington resident Matt Hutvagner, who arrived with his 5-year-old son Liam, was stunned to see Lamont on the tour. Hutvagner was aware that Lamont would be releasing pieces of his budget Tuesday and then the full document on Wednesday.